Follow Us

Maltese Celebrities From Our Childhood - Where Are They Now?!

Sometimes you realise that there are people you saw constantly on TV during the 90s and 00s, but somehow have completely vanished now. How did we go from constantly seeing them everywhere, to not so sure they're still on this tiny island anymore?

Well, thanks to the size of Malta, there's no mystery a couple of contacts and some Facebook stalking can't solve!

1. Rachel Vella

Over a decade ago, thousands of people would tune in every Sunday to watch a constantly-smiling woman reuniting families from across the globe thanks in no small part to what seemed like an endless amount of money and contacts.

The fact that the above megamix tribute is an actual thing that exists on YouTube should be testament to exactly how famous Tista' Tkun Int was. With special musical guests and all (check out this oldschool Ira singing Spellbound on the show!)

These days, Rachel can still be seen advertising the many different packages that ROCS offer (mostly at the travel agency's office in Mosta), but this recent Cadbury advert should definitely live on as one of the highlights of her post-TV careers, if only for all the memes.

2. Debbie Scerri

Well, Debbie doesn't seem to. Here she is singing on live TV just a couple of days ago, still sporting that signature tone of hers. The clip also features J. Anvil, who hosts The Entertainers.

3. Eileen Montesin (& Christine Haber)

Yes. That's a five hour video. And it features the entire first season of the 1998 Undercover. All of it. There goes the rest of our day.

And if you don't think that this is the best screenshot from anything that has ever been taken in the history of the world, then we honestly don't know what to say:

But back to business. While Eileen Montesin was never really not in the public eye, there was definitely a time (namely all of the 90s and 00s) where she literally was everywhere.

Now that her daughter Christine has gotten old enough to star alongside her mother (instead of just random cameo singing moments in series like Dejjem Tieghek Becky and KC), those of you who have long given up on watching Maltese TV would be pleased (I guess) to know that the pair is still going at it with what they feel like they do best, this time on the TV series It's Morris.

4. JP ("ta' Xarabank")

Remember that super chill, long-bearded, hat-wearing journalist / producer from Xarabank? There seemed to be a time where many more people used to watch the apparently infinite Friday night show. Well, JP might've been one of the main reasons.

Nowadays, if even possible, JP has gotten a whole lot cooler. His days are now spent running Barbuto, a Sicilian/Maltese brand offering fine, handpicked and cold-pressed Sicilian extra virgin oil, as well as other gastronomical delights like organic cheeses, walnuts and almonds.

Choosing the rustic modest lifestyle of Malta's larger neighbour over our overcrowded bustling city doesn't mean that JP has completely forgotten about us, and he still supplies the island with behind-the-scenes help to some of the country's best smells and tastes (including a seemingly close bond with New York Best's Tommy Diacono).

You'll also be pleased to know that not only has JP retained his famous look, but has immortalized it in his brand's logo! If that ain't cool, then we don't know what is.

5. Times Three

Malta's favourite 90s girlband that never really quite was. Times Three were as close as our country got to a one-hit wonder back in the day, with this Eurovision song being played absolutely everywhere for a good year, and then seemingly disappearing from the face of the Earth... probably because it finished in 15th place one year after Chiara's insane third place The One That I Love.

Approaching eighteen years since Believe 'n Peace's release, the trio have of course moved on to different things.

Philipa is now happily married and works at St. Dorothy's Senior School...

...Francesca is a Deputy Managing Director at V Tabone Travel...

... and Diane went on to become a model, travelled all around the world, and has been snapped with everyone from P. Diddy to Chanel's Karl Lagerfeld.

BONUS: The Mini Bugz Crew

Oh man. All the feels. Mini Bugz was everything for the majority of the country's children growing up in the 90s / 00s, and those yellow buses in the video are just the nostalgic icing on the cake.